Barkley and Pogba in frame for long-term Toure replacements

The Blues have no intention of selling Yaya this summer but know they need to plan for the future.

Manchester City are mulling over a move for Everton star Ross Barkley as they plan for life without Yaya Toure.

But the desire to bolster their number of home-grown players has thrown up another intriguing possibility – that the Blues could target French star Paul Pogba.

That is a move that would rub salt in a few Red wounds, as Pogba walked out on United two years ago, citing a lack of first-team opportunities.

He has since become one of Europe’s most sought-after midfield stars and was short-listed for the World Cup’s best young player award. He would be a natural fit if and when Toure’s City career ends.

The club has no intention of selling Yaya this summer, but at the age of 31, they need to plan for the future now.

The Blues have kept a watching brief on Pogba but have not sounded out his club Juventus about the availability of their 21-year-old star. He would fit the bill perfectly, as a dynamic box-to-box midfielder who has upped his goalscoring rate.

The fact that he also qualifies as a home-grown player, due to his three seasons at Old Trafford, simply adds to the attraction for any English club aiming to sign him.

Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola has poured cold water on any suggestion that the player may leave Juventus this summer, after leading them to successive Serie A titles.

The player was spotted walking close to Stamford Bridge last week, but Raiola dismissed rumours of a move to Chelsea as “fantasy football”.

Pogba left United under a cloud, allowing his contract to expire and walking out to join Juve on a free, drawing criticism from Sir Alex Ferguson.

There has been some confusion over whether Pogba would qualify as a home-grown player.

The criteria is that a player must have been with an English club for three full seasons before the age of 21.

Pogba joined United in July 2009, but confusion arises because his previous club Le Havre asked for a FIFA probe into the transfer, so it was not ratified until October 2009.

He left in the summer of 2012, so just about qualifies as home-grown under both UEFA and Premier League rules.

City have already put out feelers about 20-year-old England ace Barkley, but Everton quoted an outrageous price.

With a transfer spending cap of £49million imposed by UEFA as part of their punishment for breaching financial fair play rules, City cannot afford to buy the Scouser unless they raise funds through player sales.

The Blues will take their summer spending to around £44million, with the purchase of Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala expected to be completed soon.

Mangala, who will cost around £30million, had a medical in Manchester at the weekend and has now gone on holiday as the two clubs work through a deal which is complicated by the fact the player is partly owned by a third party.

With their incoming transfers sorted out, the Blues are now seeking to sell, with Micah Richards, Jack Rodwell, Scott Sinclair, Javi Garcia, Matija Nastasic and Alvaro Negredo all available.

Only one or two of Garcia, Nastasic and Negredo will be sold in order to meet Premier League and Champions League squad limits on overseas players.

But if the Blues raise sufficient funds, they could still stage a late raid for Barkley – although it now seems more likely he will be their prime target for next summer.

City officials are relaxed about Yaya’s immediate future despite disquieting noises coming out of his camp this summer.

The latest, a claim attributed to one of his Ivory Coast team-mates, suggests he will not return to pre-season training as he is so unhappy with the Blues hierarchy.

But Yaya posed for pictures to promote City’s new kit, which would hardly seem to be the action of a man plotting rebellion.

The Blues have treated his outbursts about neglecting his birthday and not being allowed leave to visit his dying brother with kid gloves, although they firmly refute the latter allegation.

They believe Yaya is still hurting from the death of younger brother Ibrahim, while he was on World Cup duty, and are willing to give him time to come to terms with his grief.

The club has no reason to believe Yaya will move this summer, especially as Paris St Germain and Barcelona – two of a small handful of clubs who could afford him – have shown no interest.

But the Ivorian is now 31, and City are planning for life when the influential midfielder finally does move on.

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